Office-indicator



(No Modl.) I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. J. E. BISHOP.

OFFICE INDICATOR.

No. 550,243 Patented Nov. 26, 1895.

WRIJ'ITE @mms @N [Pm AND M 'ATTO RNEY8 AN DREW EGRAIMM. FflOTO-UTHO.WASHIN5TON.D.Q

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(N0 Model.)

J. E. BISHOP.

OPFIGE INDICATOR. No. 550,243.

Patented Nov. 26, 1895.

ANDREW BGRAIMM. PHOTO-LITHQWMIIINGTON. DC

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN E. BISHOP, OF SYRACUSE, NFJV YORK.

OFFICE-INDICATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 550,243, dated November 26, 1895.

Application filed May 23, 1894. Serial No. 512,149. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN E. BISHOP, of Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga, in the State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Office-Indicators, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to an improved indicator particularly applicable for use in offices and similar places for indicating the presence and time of return of the occupant, and informing the occupant of memoranda, &c., prepared by callers during his absence, and has for its object the production of a simple device which is economically manufactured, easily manipulated, pleasing in appearance, and-highly practical and effective in use; and to this end it consists, essentially, in the construction and arrangement of its component parts, all as hereinafter more particularly described, and pointed out in the claims.

In describing this invention reference is had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which like letters indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is an elevation of my improved indicator, its component parts being illustrated in their position assumed when the occupant of the office provided therewith is present at his office. Fig. 2 is a similar elevation, portions thereof being broken away and the parts being shown in their position assumed when the occupant of the office is absent. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the parts as shown at Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal vertical sectional View taken on line 4 4, Fig. 2. Figs. 5 and 6 are face views of the detached pivoted display-pieces of my indicator, provided, respectively, with the numerals F 1 to 12, inclusive, and the word oclock and the numerals 15, 30, and 45; and Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional View taken on line 7 '7, Fig. 2.

The frame A of my indicator is of any suitable form, size, and construction, being here illustrated as rectangular and as formed of less thickness than width. The upper extremity of the frame A is provided with a pocket or chamber A for receiving sheets or strips containing memoranda, &c. The pocket or chamber A is formed with an inletopening a in the top wall of the frame A and a movable front walla, hinged at a at its upper edge and provided at its lower edge with a suitable handpiece a The movable wall a may also be provided with a suitable lock for holding the same closed; but it is unnecessary to herein illustrate or describe the lock.

The lower extremity of the frame A is provided with an operating-piece A hinged at a at its lower edge and having its upper edge provided with an actuating-knob a This knob may also be provided with a suitable lock, not necessary to herein illustrate or describe, for holding the same in its closed position. A pad B, formed of sheets or strips 1), capable of receiving memoranda, &c., is secured to the inner face of the operating-piece A by suitable fastening means, here illustrated asspring-arms b b. When the operating-piece is in its position, (seen at Figs. 2 and 4,) the indicator informs the caller at the office or other place provided therewith that the occupant is absent, and the caller, if he desires to make memoranda for conveying information to the occupant, removes one of the sheets or strips 1) and places it within the pocket or chamber A, whence it is readily removed and examined by the occupant on his return.

The operating-piece A is held in position by any suitable means, here illustrated as guides C C, projecting from opposite sides a a of the frame A, heads D D movable lengthwise of the guides O O, and links E E, connected to said operating-piece and heads. The guides O O are of any desired form, size, and construction, but each, preferably, consists of rods or strips 0 c. The intermediate portion of each rod or strip 0 is separated from the corresponding side of the frame A, 1

and its opposite extremities extend laterally toward said side and are secured thereto by suitable fastening means 0 Each rod or strip 0 isinterposed between the intermediate portion of the corresponding rod or strip 0 and the adjacent side of the frame A, and its opposite ends are secured to the laterally-extending extremities of said rod or strip 0.

Each of the heads D preferably consists of a rod or strip having its opposite ends coiled for forming eyes d d, adapted to receive the rods or strips 0 c. The upper extremity of each link E is formed with an eye e, hinged to the intermediate portion of the corresponding head D, and its opposite extremity is extended laterally toward the adjacent edge of the operating-piece A and is provided with an eye a, hinged to said edge by suitable fastening means 6 As the operating-piece A is rocked upwardly or downwardly 011 its pivot a, the heads D D are moved along the guides C C, and the heads D D and links E E effectually support the operating-piece A in its movem ent and hold the same in either its elevated or depressed position.

The front wall a of the frame A of my i11- dicator is provided with perforations a a arranged one above the other, and as clearly seen at Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, a permanent display piece or plate F is secured to the inner face of the wall a and is aligned with the upper perforation a The name of the occupant is preferably placed upon this piece or plate F, and in order to permit of its ready insertion and removal, the opposite ends thereof project through slots a in the opposite sides a of the frame A, aligned with the perforation a and forming a guide in which the plate is movable when inserted or removed.

A movable display piece or plate Gr is mounted at the inner side of the front wall a within a chamber A and its upperportion is provided with the words \Vill return and its lower portion with the words In office. \Vhen the occupant of the oifice or place provided with my indicator is present, the lower portion of the display piece or plate Gis registered with the perforation a, and when he is absent the upper portion thereof is registered with said perforation, To facilitate the movement of the display-piece G its opposite ends are provided with projecting arms 9 g, movable in slots a in the opposite sides a of the frame A, and these slots and the chamber A obviouslyform a guide in which the display piece or plate G is reciprocally movable.

The lower portion of the display piece or plate G is normally registered with the perforation a", and said display-piece is held in this position by the heads D D, previously described, which are provided with shoulders (Z d for engaging the under faces of the arms g g. As the operating-piece A is rocked downwardly, the heads D D are lowered and the weight of the display piece or plate G causes the same to descend until its arms g g reach the lower ends of the slots o and its upper portion provided with the words \Vill return is then registered with the perfora tion a.

Directly beneath the perforation a are opposite engaging arms H, extending outwardly from the front wall a of the frame A, and provided with upturned ends h, having enlarged extremities.

Suitable display-pieces I, provided with the names of the days of the week or other suitable information, are removably supported upon these arms H II, and are provided at their opposite ends with perforations z 2?, through which said arm are passed.

My improved indicator is provided with pivoted display-pieces J J J arranged in front of a portion of the rear Wall (612, and a wall A, arranged in front of the pieces J J J andprovided with a series of perforations a a (0?. A wall A arranged at the rear of the displaypiece J is suitably secured to the wall A and is provided with a display-face A, carrying the characters P. M. aligned with the perforations 0, The pivoted display-piece J is preferably circular and is mounted on a pivot j suitably secured thereto and provided with a hand-engaging piecej for rotating the same. The numerals 1 to 12, inclusive, are arranged equidistant from each other in a circular row upon the front face of the display-piece J, in proximity to its perimeter, and are successively registered with the perforation a in the wall A as the handpiece J rotates the pivot The pivoted display-piece J is interposed between the corresponding display-piece J and the adjacent face of the wall A and is mounted upon a pivot 3' here illustrated as a revoluble sleeve encircling the pivot j and provided with a ring-shaped handpiece 3'. The outer face of the pivoted display-piece J is provided with the word oclock and the numerals 15, 30, and 45, arranged in a circular row, and said word and numerals are successively registered with the perforation a in the wall A as the pivot or revoluble sleeve 7' is revolved by its handpiece j. The pivoted display'piece J which is interposed between the Walls A A is mounted upon a pivot 7', provided with a handpiecej", and is provided with the characters A.M. adapted to be registered with the perforation (L15 for covering the display-face A.

If the occupant of the oflice or other place provided with my invention is about to be absent, and expects to return at 10.30 a. m., the pivoted display-pieces J J J 2 are suitably operated as described until the numerals 1O and 30 and the characters A. M. are displayed through the perforations a a (L15, as illustrated at Fig. 2.

The operation of my indicator will be readily perceived from the foregoing description and upon reference to the accompanying drawings, and it is apparent that it is quickly and easily adjusted by the occupant when leaving or returning to his oflice or other place of business, and that a caller is informed whether the occupant is in or out, and when he will return, if absent, and, if unable to wait, is provided with material to prepare suitable memoranda, &c., for the information of the occupant. The exact detail, construction, and arrangement of my indicator may evidently be materially varied without departing from the spirit of my invention,

and hence I do not herein specifically limit myself to such exact detail, construction, and arrangement.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. An office indicator comprising a frame provided with a fixed guide, a movable display piece supported by the frame, a hinged operatin g piece connected to the display piece for actuating the same, a head detachably engaged with the display piece and movable vertically on said guide, and a link hinged to the operating piece and to said head, substantially as described.

2. An office indicator comprising a frame having opposite sides provided with projecting fixed guides, a movable display piece supported by the frame, a hinged operating piece for actuating said display piece, heads movable lengthwise of the guides, and links hinged to the opposite edges of the operating piece and to said heads, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. An office indicator comprising a frame, a fixed guide projecting from one side of the frame and consisting of a rod or strip having its intermediate portion separated from said side of the frame and its opposite extremities connected thereto, a movable display piece supported by the frame, a hinged operating piece, a head detachably engaged with the display piece and movable vertically on the guide for actuating said display piece, and alink hinged to the operating piece and to said head, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. An office indicator comprising a frame, a fixed guide projecting from one side of the frame and consisting of a rod or strip having its intermediate portion separated from said side of the frame and its opposite extremities connected thereto, and a second rod or strip interposed between the former rod or strip and the adjacent side of the frame and having its opposite ends secured to the opposite extremities of the former rod or strip, a movable display piece supported by the frame, a hinged operating piece, a head movable lengthwise of the guide for actuating said display piece and provided with opposite eyes for receiving said rods or strips, and a link hinged to the operating piece and to said head, substantially as and for the purpose described.

5. An office indicator comprising a frame, a fixed guide projecting from one side of the frame and consisting of a rod or strip having its intermediate portion separated from said side of the frame and its opposite extremities connected thereto, and a second rod or strip interposed between the former rod or strip and the adjacent side of the frame and having its opposite ends secured to the opposite eX- tremities of the former rod or strip, a movable display piece supported by the frame, a hinged operating piece, a head movable lengthwise of the guide for actuating said display piece and consisting of a rod or strip having its opposite ends coiled for forming eyes to receive said rods, and a link having one extremity hinged to the operating piece and its other extremity hinged to the intermediate portion of the head, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. An office indicator comprisinga frame A, provided with slots a and guides O, a display piece G, provided at its opposite extremities with projecting arms g movable in the slots a a hinged operating piece A heads D, movable vertically on the guides 0, provided with shoulders d for detachably engaging the arms g and links E connecting said operating piece and heads, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name, in the presence of two attesting witnesses, at Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga, in the State of New York, this 12th day of April, 1894.

JOHN E. BISHOP.

Witnesses:

CLARK I-I. NORTON, K. H. THEOBALD. 

